Protect the Pollinators. Save the Bees
Why Conserve the bees?
- Provide Food
- Economic Value to Us
- Biological Treasure
Pollinator Facts
▪ Over 1/3 of the foods we eat comes from insect pollinated crops. Some of our favorites like coffee and chocolate require pollination.
▪ Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 80% of fruit, vegetables, and seeds in the U.S.
▪ Nuts, cotton, hay, and alfalfa grown require pollination by insects.
▪ Wisconsin has 500 Native Bees.
▪ The oldest bee fossil is 100 million years old. The first beekeepers were the Egyptians in 2400 B.C.
Lifetime of Work
To make one pound of honey, the bees in the colony must visit 2 million flowers, fly over 55,000 miles and will be the lifetime work of approximately 300 bees.
Beeswax Facts
10 flowers can yield 1 drop of nectar
One bee can hold one drop of nectar
10 drops of nectar yield one drop of honey
10 drops of honey yield one drop of beeswax
1000 flowers yield one drop of beeswax
Save the Bees
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Protect the Pollinators Series
Why do we need Pollinators?
These hard-working animals help pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of our crops. Often we may not notice the hummingbirds, bats, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies that carry pollen from one plant to another as they collect nectar. Yet without them, wildlife would have fewer nutritious berries and seeds, and we would miss many fruits, vegetables, and nuts, like blueberries, squash, and almonds . . . not to mention chocolate and coffee…all of which depend on pollinators. www.fws.gov/pollinators/